Swivel stand

ABSTRACT

A swivel stand of the present invention has a mechanism by which while equipment  1  such as a TV monitor or monitor camera is rotated manually, the rotation of the equipment  1  (TV monitor  1 ) is controlled such that a disc  4  fixed by a worm gear  8  slides on a pole  2  joined to the equipment, or by which while the equipment  1  is rotated by the motor  9,  the rotation of the equipment  1  is controlled such that the disc  4  rotated by the worm gear  8  synchronizes the pole  2  joined to the equipment  1.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a swivel stand which turns equipment,such as a TV monitor or monitor camera, electrically or manually.

BACKGROUND ART

Known is a swivel stand in which a display or monitor camera to beturned is supported by an electric motor in a rotatable fashion (seeJapanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications H9-18748, H7-203335and H1-73876).

For example, according to the disclosure of JP H7-203335, a cabinetprovided with a TV monitor is supported by a stand in a rotatablefashion. Furthermore, the rotational driving power generated by therotation axis of an electric motor is transmitted to a base through botha gear and a gear unit composed of a worm wheel mating with the gear andlarge and small gears. Therefore, the forward/reverse rotation of theelectric motor allows a cabinet to be turned clockwise orcounterclockwise.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The above swivel stand of the background art is configured to be rotatedelectrically, and cannot be rotated manually.

However, in actual use of the above swivel stand, there are sometimesoccasions when a remote controller by which a TV monitor faces in anydirections is missing or when a viewer wants a nearby person to changethe orientation of the TV monitor manually.

In this case, the above swivel stand of the background art cannot dealwith the occasions, or either a complex clutch mechanism or controlleris necessary, thus leading to the increase in the weight. In addition,the number of the components is made greater, thereby increasing costsor deteriorating the reliability.

The present invention has been conceived in consideration of the abovedescription. An object of the present invention is to provide a simpleswivel stand in which an electric or manual rotation can be usedarbitrarily.

The present invention for overcoming the above disadvantage is directedto a swivel stand, and this swivel stand is characterized by including:

a base;

a disc being supported by the base in a rotatable fashion;

a gear being provided on a circumference of the disc; and

a worm gear mating with the gear, the worm gear to be rotated by anelectric motor,

wherein while the equipment is rotated manually, the disc fixed by theworm gear slides on the support member supporting the equipment, so thata rotation of the equipment is controlled, and

wherein while the equipment is rotated by the electric motor, the discrotated by the worm gear synchronizes the support member, so that arotation of the equipment is controlled.

In the present invention, the swivel stand is provided with a mechanismby which while the equipment such as a TV monitor or monitor camera isrotated manually, the rotation of the equipment is controlled such thatthe disc fixed by the worm gear slides on the pole joined to theequipment, or by which while the equipment is rotated by the motor, therotation of the equipment is controlled such that the disc rotated bythe worm gear synchronizes the pole joined to the rotatable equipment.Consequently, it is possible for the swivel stand to use an electric andmanual drives in combination by employing the simple structure. Inaddition, since the number of the components is made small, thereliability is improved. The gear may be fitted into or mate with acircumference of the disc.

Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the disc andthe gear are integrally molded. In the present invention, it is possibleto switch the electric and manual operational states through the discand the gear that are integrally molded. As a result, the electric andmanual drive can be used in combination by employing the simplestructure.

Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that the supportmember is a pole joined to the equipment, and a bush is secured to thepole, thereby decreasing the sliding resistance between the equipmentand the disc upon manual rotation of the equipment.

In the present invention, since the bush is fixed to the pole to therebydecrease the sliding resistance between the equipment and the disc, theequipment can be rotated smoothly upon manual rotation of the equipment.This makes it possible to improve the usability.

The present invention is characterized in that the disc has a hollow,doughnut shape, the gear is provided on an inner circumference of thedisc, and the electric motor and the worm gear are arranged within ahollow portion of the disc. In the present invention, the individualcomponents of the swivel stand can be arranged space-efficiently.

Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that at least onereduction gear is placed between the gear and the worm gear, and thereduction gear mates with them.

In the present invention, it is possible to adjust the torque orrotational speed of the electric motor by varying the size or the numberof the reduction gear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded configuration view for explaining a swivel standaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded configuration view for explaining a swivel standaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a view depicting a mating state of a worm gear 8 and gears 5,11 and 12.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is an exploded configuration view for explaining a swivel standaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 denote aTV monitor, pole, bush, disc, gear, thrust bearing, base, worm gear,motor and controller, respectively.

In the embodiments according to the present invention, the TV monitor 1such as a plasma display or liquid crystal display, which is installedas equipment, is supported in such a way to rotate around the pole 2joined to a housing and with respect to the base 7. The pole 2 is oneexample of a support member for supporting the equipment.

The bush 3 is fixed to the pole 2 and is used to decrease the slidingresistance to the disc 4 upon manual rotation.

The disc 4 is mounted on the base 7 in a rotatable fashion. This discemploys two-piece-structure, because the gear 5 is attached to thecircumference of the disc 4. Alternatively, the disc 4 and the gear 5may be integrated, but if they have the two-piece-structure, then boththe strength necessary for the disc 4 and the productivity of the gear 5can be attained.

The disc 4 is formed by resin integrated molding, casting or multi-peacepress. Since the disc 4 is used to block power generated in the reversedirection, an appropriate fabrication is selected based on requiredconditions such as its overall cost, weight or strength. The gear 5 isformed from resin molding.

The worm gear 8, which is coupled directly to the motor 9 mounted on thebase 7, mates with the gear 5, and is rotated by the motor 9.

In this embodiment, there are no gears between the gear 5 and the wormgear 8. In other words, a single stage reduction gear is employed.However, multiple gears may be arranged between the gear 5 and the wormgear 8. Specifically, a gear unit may be employed. In this case, thetorque of the motor 9 and the rotational speed of the TV monitor 1 areadjustable. As a result, a significant effect can be produced althoughthe number of the components increases.

Between the disc 4 and the base 7, the thrust bearing 6 made of resin ormetal is provided, and it is configured to be supported by the pole 2.

Now, a description will be given, of a mechanism by which the TV monitor1 is turned in combination with electric and manual operations.

While the TV monitor 1 is turned manually, the disc 4 fixed by the wormgear 8 slides on the pole 2 joined to the TV monitor 1, so that therotation is controlled. In addition, while the TV monitor 1 is turned bythe motor 9, the disc 4 rotated by the worm gear 8 and the pole 2 joinedto the TV monitor 1 rotate in synchronization with each other, so thatthe rotation is contolled.

In this way, the operation of the motor 9 and the manual operation canbe used separately, thus achieving the combination of electric andmanual rotations.

It is assumed that while the TV monitor 1 is turned by the motor 9, theTV monitor 1 is caught by something or the rotation is hindered by ahand, in other words, the rotation of the TV monitor 1 is forced tostop. In this case, a slip motion is generated between the disc 4 andthe base 7 similar to the behavior of the manual rotation, therebypreventing the motor from being damaged. Moreover, by installing asensor on the base 7, the movement of the TV monitor 1 may be controlledby the controller 10. This enables the TV monitor 1 to return to a frontor initial position from any given position instantly. The equipment tobe rotated is not limited to the TV monitor 1. Alternatively, it may bea monitor camera. Thus, the swivel stand can function as one used forvarious equipment that will be rotated.

FIG. 2 is an exploded configuration view for explaining a swivel standaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2,except for components in the following description, the same referencenumerals are given to the same parts shown in FIG. 1, and duplicatedescription therefore is omitted.

In FIG. 2, reference numerals 1, 2 and 4 denote a TV monitor, poles anddisc, respectively. Reference numerals 5, 11 and 12 denote individualgears, respectively. Reference numerals 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14 and 15denote a thrust bearing, base, worm gear, motor, controller, middle cap,outer cap and support member, respectively.

In this embodiment, the support member 15 is composed of the poles 2 andthe outer cap 14. While the TV monitor 1 is turned manually, the disc 4fixed to the worm gear 8 slides on the support member 15, so that therotation is controlled. In addition, while the TV monitor 1 is rotatedby the motor 9, the disc 4 rotated by the worm gear 8 synchronizes thesupport member 15, so that the rotation is controlled. In this way, inthis embodiment, the electric and manual rotations of the equipment,which is an object to be rotated, can be used in combination. Theserotations are switched as necessary, thereby improving the usability.

The disc 4 is a doughnut-shaped disc having a hole in its center, andthe gear 5 is provided in the inner circumference of the disc 4. Themotor 9 and the worm gear 8 are provided in a hollow portion 16 of thedisc 4. The hollow portion 16 is a hollow space at the center of thedisc 4.

The gears 11 and 12 are arranged between the gear 5 and the worm gear 8.These gears 11 and 12 receive power of the motor 9 through the worm gear8 and transmit it to the gear 5. With this configuration, the motor 9and the worm gear 8 can be arranged space-efficiently.

The middle cap 13 is a cover to wrap the motor 8, the worm gear 9 andthe gears 11 and 12 from above. The middle cap 13 supports, for example,the rotation axis of the gears 11 and 12 from above in a rotatablefashion. Moreover, the outer cap 14 has substantially the same diameteras that of the disc 4, and it covers the whole of the disc 4 from above.With this configuration, the motor 9, the worm gear 8 and the like thatare provided within the hollow portion of the disc 4 can be protectedfavorably. Furthermore, since the diameter of the support member 15including the outer cap 14 is large, the TV monitor 1 can be supportedwith stability.

FIG. 3 is a view depicting a mating state of a worm gear 8 and gears 5,11 and 12.

In the embodiments, the gears 11 and 12 serve as reduction gears, andeach of them includes two, large and small pinions. The large pinion ofthe gear 11 mates with the worm gear 8, and rotates in conjunction withthe worm gear 8. In addition, the small pinion of the gear 11 rotates insynchronization with the large pinion.

The large pinion of the gear 12 mates with the small pinion of the gear11, and rotates in conjunction with the small pinion of the gear 11.Furthermore, the small pinion of the gear 12 mates with the gear 5, androtates in conjunction with the large pinion to thereby transmit powerto the gear 5. With this configuration, the power generated by the motor9 (see FIG. 2) is delivered to the gear 5 appropriately, and the disc 6provided with the gear 5 thus rotates correctly.

As described above, according to the present invention, equipment, whichis an object to be rotated, can be rotated in combination of electricand manual operations. Accordingly, the operation is switched asnecessary, so that the operationality is enhanced. Moreover, the presentinvention can be realized with a simple structure and a small number ofcomponents. This contributes to the reduction in weight and cost. Evenif the breakage occur, it is easy to determine its cause, thus leadingto the improvement of the reliability.

Furthermore, by applying the two-piece-structure to the disc and thegear, both the strength necessary for the disc and the productivity ofthe gear can be satisfied.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention is applicable to a swivel stand appropriatelywhich turns equipment, such as a TV monitor or monitor camera,electrically or manually.

1. A swivel stand for turning equipment, comprising: a base; a discbeing supported by the base in a rotatable fashion; a gear beingprovided on a circumference of the disc; and a worm gear mating with thegear, the worm gear to be rotated by an electric motor, wherein whilethe equipment is turned manually, the disc fixed by the worm gear slideson the support member supporting the equipment, so that a rotation ofthe equipment is controlled, and wherein while the equipment is rotatedby the electric motor, the disc rotated by the worm gear synchronizesthe support member, so that a rotation of the equipment is controlled.2. The swivel stand according to claim 1, wherein the disc and the gearare integrally molded.
 3. The swivel stand according to claim 1 or 2,wherein the support member is a pole being joined to the equipment, andwherein a bush is fixed to the pole to thereby decrease a slidingresistance between the equipment and the disc, which is generated uponthe manual rotation of the equipment.
 4. The swivel stand according toclaim 1 or 2, wherein the disc has a hollow, doughnut shape, wherein thegear is provided on an inner circumference of the disc, and wherein theelectric motor and the worm gear are arranged within a hollow portion ofthe disc.
 5. The swivel stand according to one of claims 1 to 4, furthercomprising at least one reduction gear being provided between the gearand the worm gear, the reduction gear mating with the gear and the workgear.